Instead of Moscow - Beijing

The Latvian government helps Russian entrepreneurs enter the Chinese market

In August, Russia introduced an embargo on the import of food products from the European Union, under which all the dairy products of Latvian manufacturers fell. It turned out that not all local enterprises that fell under sanctions belong to large food concerns of the EU or Latvian businessmen. There are many Russians among them, who are now also forced to adapt to new conditions: instead of Russia, they begin to enter the Chinese market, and the Latvian government helps them in this.

Three and a half years ago, a Russian, co -founder of Unimilk, Andrei Beskhmelnitsky, bought in Latvia the leader of the dairy market Rīgas piena kombināts (RPK). A year later, its unification occurred with the second largest Latvian dairy production plant Valmieras Piens, which was acquired in 2011 by the Russian businessman Yevgeny Varov. The new industrial group was called Food Union and aimed at export mainly to Russia. In 2013, its turnover amounted to more than 115 million euros, the products were sold in 28 countries of the world, and more than four hundred local peasant farms were supplied fresh milk to factories.

The Latvian government helps Russian entrepreneurs enter the Chinese market

We were shown that it would be in Russia if in 72 years the communist regime had not disappeared as a class of a peasantry

“Talking with the employees of the plant, we heard the expression from them: milk is white gold,” recalls Novosibirsk Dmitry Dokin , the founder of the Russian Inmarko ice cream company, who moved to Riga at the invitation of Beskhmelnitsky along with several managers, “in our homeland we did not encounter such an reverent attitude to the product and farmers. In Latvia, in Latvia, the problems of the village They are strongly discussed on the radio and television channels, they are concerned about the first question that they ask us: “How do you work with farmers?” The nicknames were smart and active people, they worked for others, in principle, this is not even a matter of money, where, trying to restore farms, they are invested in Millions: a good example of the Hyurullin brothers in Tatarstan, and for some reason, there are still not enough milk. Interested in working in the village. "

Over time, Dmitry Dokin also discovered another feature of the Baltic market-a high level of local consumer patriotism: “Everyone prefer to eat local in the Baltic states. Not for ideological reasons, but because of high confidence in their farmers. Therefore, for example, in order to enter the Latvian market, Estonians have to create brands with a raid of Latvia Sentimental firms, going to the northern neighbors, are forced to imitate Estonian designs and names in Russia. And we can! "

In August, Russia embarked on food imports from the European Union, under which all the dairy products of Russian entrepreneurs in Latvia and their Food Union company fell. The sanctions did not apply only to ice cream, which is still imported to the Russian market, but soon a new problem appeared - the Russian currency has doubled. The holding management responded to this by a change in the ratio of export markets in favor of countries that do not experience currency collapse. Last summer, they began to sell their products to the Netherlands, and in June, Rīgas Piena Kombināts was visited by the Minister of the Main Directorate for Quality Supervision, Inspectorate and Quarantine of the PRC, to discuss the possibilities of supply. This was the result of negotiations that began back in 2013 between the Ministry of Agriculture of Latvia and the food veterinary service of China. Now the case is small: certification of products according to the standards of the Chinese food security system (HACCP).

Soon, Food Union will complete the certification of its products according to the standards of the Chinese food security system (HACCP). Following this will be concluded a supply agreement. The chairman of the RPK board Normund Stanevich believes that the transaction can cause structural changes to the entire Latvian dairy industry: the shortage of milk in China is 11 million tons per year, 13 times more than the whole of Latvia is capable of producing, and forecasts promise its triple in several years.

The best gift to the Russian is Parmesan. Recently came a colleague from Russia. Shows SMS from a friend: "Ah, you are in Riga! Then bring me the cheese" Montero "!"

Sibiryak Dokin considers acquaintance with the Chinese market the Acquaintance of the Chinese Marketing plus: “I was in the PRC, maybe 15 times. From Novosibirsk to the nearest city for an hour and a half, to Beijing - 3.5 hours. There was still no milk consumption culture in the country, and the enzyme responsible for the absorption of lactose is poorly developed in the Chinese body. However, the government introduces the government. The vast program for providing milk of schoolchildren, and their consumption is growing, for example, they do not know what soft cheeses (cream-chips) are, from yellow cheeses, they only want to become Europeans, to develop, to develop, to be fashionable, to try new products, even if it is not clear. The containers from Riga or Tallinn to Shanghai, they get an airplane. According to the Russian manager, this situation is similar to Russia, where there is also no consumer patriotism: “The best gift to the Russian is Parmesan. A colleague from Russia recently came. SMS shows from a friend:“ Ah, you are in Riga! Then bring me the cheese "Montero"! And can you do four packages? "Dokin believes that the anti -Western moods of Russians spill into social networks, but do not affect food habits.